


Overrun the Banks

by neveralarch



Category: Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 21:43:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17149607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neveralarch/pseuds/neveralarch
Summary: Lady Ty has some advice.





	Overrun the Banks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jenett](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenett/gifts).



> Happy Yuletide, Jenett! Thanks for a great prompt.

The water was cool to the touch. Light glinted off the marble trough it flowed through, and the fish splashed near Abigail's hands, looking for food.

"It's not really part of my river," said Lady Ty. "Just a spring and a publicity stunt."

Abigail briefly closed her eyes, determined to be unintimidated. "It looks nice." 

"Yes," agreed Lady Ty. "That's how you can tell it's not real." She turned in a slow circle, looking around the deserted antiques shop. It was Friday evening. Abigail had hoped that would make her less noticeable, let her melt into the crowd, but the store had cleared as soon as soon as Lady Ty walked down the stairs.

"What are you looking for?" asked Lady Ty.

"Dunno." Abigail shrugged. "Just looking."

Lady Ty frowned.

Abigail felt almost compelled to explain herself. She hoped it wasn't really _compelled_ , but she'd ask Nightingale when she got back to the Folly. "Sometimes you find things in cool old buildings." She waved a hand. "Ghosts. Sigils. You know."

"You shouldn't go hunting for those things," said Lady Ty. "You don't know what you'll find."

"That's the best part." Abigail trailed her hand through the water, trying to touch a fish. "Peter calls it experiential learning."

"Peter will be dead before his time," snapped Lady Ty. She took a deep breath, eyes closed, mouth pinched. Abigail pulled her hand from the water and wiped it on her jeans.

"I'm sorry, that was uncalled for." Lady Ty opened her eyes again. They glinted in the lamps, reflecting light in that particular way human eyes don't. "You remind me of my daughter, when she was your age. Just a few years ago. Do you mind if I give you some advice?"

"No, I don't mind." Abigail always listened to advice. She didn't take it, often, but she listened.

"Know your limits." Lady Ty leaned forward, just a little, enough to put their eyes at a level. "Know where you stop. That's a skill that's missing in today's Folly."

"That's a skill you have?" asked Abigail.

Lady Ty smiled. "A river always knows where her banks are. And when to overrun them." She waved a hand over the trough, and water slopped out. Abigail caught a fish, felt it thrash in her hands, and tossed it back into its home. There was another on the floor, and another. By the time Abigail got them all back in the trough, Lady Ty was gone.

Once Abigail's hands were dry, she took out a notebook and wrote Lady Ty's advice down. She didn't know what her limits were yet, but she was excited to find out.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Podfic] Overrun the Banks](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17266919) by [sisi_rambles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sisi_rambles/pseuds/sisi_rambles)




End file.
